Parkside Expands (Updated)

The Parkside Group, a NYC-based consulting/lobbying firm that is a favorite of the Senate Democrats, has hired a former aide to now-Gov. Andrew Cuomo: Paul Thomas.

“Paul Thomas is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in city and state government, said Parkside Group President Harry Giannoulis in a press release.

“Throughout his career, Paul has counseled public officials on substantive policy issues and the most effective methods of community outreach. We look forward to Paul putting his considerable abilities to work on behalf of our clients.”

Thomas is coming on as the firm’s newest vice president. He served as (deputy) director of Intergovernmental and Community Affairs for Cuomo when the governor was in the AG’s office.

He has also worked for the NYC City Council, a number of state lawmakers from the Bronx and Brooklyn – including Assemblyman/Bronx Democratic Chairman Carl Heastie – and on then-state Comptroller Carl McCall’s 2002 gubernatorial campaign.

(Incidentally, that was the year Cuomo challenged McCall in an ill-fated and short-lived primary from which Cuomo withdrew one week prior to the September election).

Parkside has a strong Queens connection (that’s the governor’s home borough, in case you had forgotten). Evan Stavisky, a parnter in the firm, is the son of Queens Sen. Toby Stavisky, and has been intimately involved in any number of campaigns there – including Assemblyman David Weprin’s current quest to fill former Rep. Anthony Weiner’s NY-9 seat.

Thomas’ hiring strengthens the traditionally Queens-Bronx alliance, which has been necessitated in part by the fact that Queens Democratic Chairman/Rep. Joe Crowley’s district includes a sliver chunk of the Bronx.

UPDATE: As per a reader (thank you), much more of of Crowley’s district, NY-7, than I thought is actually in the Bronx.

There are 203,645 enrolled voters there, compared to 116,125 in Queens, with a total of 317,770 – active and inactive.

In the 2010 election, of the overall votes cast, 62,346 came from the Bronx, compared to 35,625 from Queens. Crowley won with 66,223 votes, 43,885 from the Bronx and 22,338 from Queens.

Fearing a primary challenge – particularly from a Latino candidate – Crowley has maintained close ties to whoever is in charge of the Bronx Democratic organization. That job is currently being held by Thomas’ former boss, Heastie.